Jean N. Destréhan
Encyclopedia
Jean Noel Destréhan was a Creole
politician in Louisiana
and one-time owner of Destréhan Plantation
, one of Louisiana's most famous antebellum historical landmarks. The city of Destrehan, Louisiana
is named after him.
Destréhan was born in New Orleans to Jean-Baptiste Destréhan de Beaupre and Jeanne Catherine Gauvret and was educated in France
. He was the son of Jean Baptiste Destrehan, colonial treasurer to France, and the brother-in-law of Etienne de Boré
, who perfected the sugar granulation process. Destréhan married Marie Claudine Elenore Robin de Logny in 1786 and bought Destréhan Plantation in 1792. He served as speaker of the territorial House of Representatives from 1804 to 1806 before receiving an appointment from President Thomas Jefferson
to serve on the Orleans Territorial Council. Destréhan served in this position from 1806 to 1811. The council crafted a legal system based on French and Spanish civil codes and established Louisiana's parish
system of governance. Destréhan was elected to the United States Senate
in 1812, but resigned immediately after taking office. He remained active in the Louisiana State Legislature until 1817. He continued planting, dying at his plantation in 1823.
Destréhan pioneered the unique Creole system of slave labor on his sugar plantations. A blend between the harsher gang system
and the more lenient task system
, the Creole system used head slaves called drivers to allot tasks and inspect work as opposed to relying on an overseer. During planting and grinding seasons, planters required slaves to work long hours, but during the off-season when the sugar crop needed little maintenance, slaves were granted considerable time off to grow food, work for themselves, and trade.
Several of Destréhan's slaves participated in the 1811 German Coast Uprising
, the largest slave revolt in American history. Destréhan himself served on the six-member tribunal at the conclusion of the revolt. Three of Destréhan's slaves were convicted as conspirators and executed. Slave trials were held at both Destrehan Plantation
and in New Orleans.
Louisiana Creole people
Louisiana Creole people refers to those who are descended from the colonial settlers in Louisiana, especially those of French and Spanish descent. The term was first used during colonial times by the settlers to refer to those who were born in the colony, as opposed to those born in the Old World...
politician in Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
and one-time owner of Destréhan Plantation
Destrehan Plantation
Destrehan Plantation is an antebellum Greek Revival house located near Destrehan, St. Charles Parish, Louisiana. In the nineteenth century, the house was the center of a bustling slave plantation that produced sugar for export. The site hosted the notorious St...
, one of Louisiana's most famous antebellum historical landmarks. The city of Destrehan, Louisiana
Destrehan, Louisiana
Destrehan is a census-designated place in St. Charles Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 11,260 at the 2000 census. It was named after Jean N...
is named after him.
Destréhan was born in New Orleans to Jean-Baptiste Destréhan de Beaupre and Jeanne Catherine Gauvret and was educated in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. He was the son of Jean Baptiste Destrehan, colonial treasurer to France, and the brother-in-law of Etienne de Boré
Etienne de Boré
Etienne de Boré was the first person to hold the title of Mayor of New Orleans.Though born in Kaskaskia, Illinois, he was sent to Europe to be educated and spent most of his life there. On leaving school he entered French military service in the King's Musketeers, and, later, after a visit to...
, who perfected the sugar granulation process. Destréhan married Marie Claudine Elenore Robin de Logny in 1786 and bought Destréhan Plantation in 1792. He served as speaker of the territorial House of Representatives from 1804 to 1806 before receiving an appointment from President Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia...
to serve on the Orleans Territorial Council. Destréhan served in this position from 1806 to 1811. The council crafted a legal system based on French and Spanish civil codes and established Louisiana's parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
system of governance. Destréhan was elected to the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
in 1812, but resigned immediately after taking office. He remained active in the Louisiana State Legislature until 1817. He continued planting, dying at his plantation in 1823.
Destréhan pioneered the unique Creole system of slave labor on his sugar plantations. A blend between the harsher gang system
Gang system
The gang system is a reference within slavery to a division of labor established on the plantation. It is the more brutal of two main types of labor systems. The other form, known as the Task System, was less harsh and allowed the slaves more autonomy than did the gang system...
and the more lenient task system
Task System
The task system is a reference within slavery to a division of labor established on the plantation. It is the less brutal of the two main types of labor systems. The other form, known as the gang system, was harsher...
, the Creole system used head slaves called drivers to allot tasks and inspect work as opposed to relying on an overseer. During planting and grinding seasons, planters required slaves to work long hours, but during the off-season when the sugar crop needed little maintenance, slaves were granted considerable time off to grow food, work for themselves, and trade.
Several of Destréhan's slaves participated in the 1811 German Coast Uprising
1811 German Coast Uprising
The 1811 German Coast Uprising was a slave revolt that took place in parts of the Territory of Orleans on January 8–10, 1811. The revolt took place on the east coast of the Mississippi River in what are now St. John the Baptist and St. Charles Parishes, Louisiana. While the slave insurgency was...
, the largest slave revolt in American history. Destréhan himself served on the six-member tribunal at the conclusion of the revolt. Three of Destréhan's slaves were convicted as conspirators and executed. Slave trials were held at both Destrehan Plantation
Destrehan Plantation
Destrehan Plantation is an antebellum Greek Revival house located near Destrehan, St. Charles Parish, Louisiana. In the nineteenth century, the house was the center of a bustling slave plantation that produced sugar for export. The site hosted the notorious St...
and in New Orleans.
External links
- official Destrehan Plantation website - has more information about current operations